A Unexpected Turn Of Events
by TheSilentPrincess
Summary: What if Neal didn't listen to August that night and went to find Emma, would they find their way to Storybrooke with Henry? Follow the story how their lives took a turn in the right direction. Collab with A Single Star.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this Collab with A Single Star. Make sure to check out her stories!**

Neal pulled in the parking garage and quickly got out, locking the bug, extremely grateful that Emma actually let him use it today instead of making him take a cab to work. He quickly went around the building and through the back door, climbing the steps to the third floor apartment and unlocking the door, throwing his keys on the table.

"Emma, no perverts live in this building. It's all full of crazy cat ladies, you know that." He called, shaking his head at the fact that his girlfriend had to keep the door locked at all times when he wasn't home. "Emma?" He asked again when he didn't hear a laugh in response to the comment. "Where are you babe?" He walked into the small livingroom only to find it empty and couldn't stop his rising panic even though there was more apartment to look through.

"Babe?!" He asked again, reaching the hallway and peering down it praying to see her blonde head poke out from a doorway.

"Neal? In here." Her voice called.

It came from the bathroom, but it didnt sound distressed like the other times he finds her in the bathroom. God, he didn't even have it and he hated morning sickness. "Emma? What are you doing?"

The expected response was _"Well, what do you do in the bathroom?" _but instead he got a giggle. "Baby wanted a bath." She flicked a bubble at him when he poked his head in the door.

He laughed, watching it pop, and smirking at her in the tub, beneath the bubbles. "Did baby want the bath? Or did Emma want the bath?"

She looked at him. "Emma wanted to feel better."

He frowned, slipping his boots off and leaving them in the hall. "And does she?"

Emma nodded, watching him. "Kinda." She admitted. "Much better now that you are home. How was work?"

Neal sighed and shook his head. "Same as always." He muttered, sitting on the closed lid toilet. "Idiots..."

Emma frowned. "It will get better."

Neal nodded. They had this conversation everyday. "Its just a stepping stone till Tallahassee."

Emma nodded and blew another bubble at him.

"How was your day?" He asked her.

She frowned. "Mrs Stevenson didn't call today."

Neal bit his lip and sighed. "Thats alright babe, I can pick up some extra hours and we'll make it through this week."

Emma frowned. "I have a ultrasound scheduled for friday, and you'll be exhausted."

"Shh, it will be fine." Neal hushed her. Mrs Stevenson was their neighbor from several floors up that Emma cleaned her house for a couple days a week. It was just until her bailsbond classes started and she had the baby so she could start working. They had to pay a hefty fee for the classes, but it would be worth it in the end, especially since Emma felt so strongly about doing it. "Wait...you said an ultrasound?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah...and I was going to do a little shopping for the baby but...I guess that has to wait."

Neal sighed, ignoring that. "This is the one where we find out if its a boy or a girl though." He remembered what the doctor said last time.

Emma nodded. "What do you hope it is?"

Neal smiled, getting down on his knees to kiss her. "First of all, you just called bump an it, second of all, as long as he or she comes out with all the correct limbs, I don't care."

She smiled against his lips. "Sometimes you auprise me, Cassidy."

He chuckled. "I can say the same for you Swan."

She shook her head immediately. "I like babe better."

He looked her strangely, but then smiled. "Well, then, babe...are you going to sit in the bath until you get pruney or are you going to help me with dinner?"

Emma frowned. "I dont know what we have for dinner..I told you Mrs Stevenson didn't call."

Neal sighed. Emma needed to stop this. They had money issues, but so what? It wasn't like they didn't fullly expect it, especially when they found out that she was pregnant. But really, he was fully prepared for it, but then again he also knew that everything was going to be okay in the end, an advantage she did not have.

He smiled at the daughter of Snow White and Prince Carming. "It's alright, babe, we'll find something." He held his hand out to help her out of the tub.


	2. Chapter 2

***Flashback***

It had been a couple of days since they escaped from gaining a jail sentence. And all Emma could think about was what if they hadn't have gotten away? Would he leave her to rot in some cell all alone? She shivered at the thought and refused to believe he would just leave her. It didn't matter anymore because they had dumped the watches realizing it was a bad idea. Emma knew deep down that they couldn't spend the rest of their lives stealing from stores.

This had been a wake up call for her the very one she needed to make a change in her life. Emma stood from the chair she was seated on outside a café and folded up the paper she was using to look for jobs. They were both trying really hard; Neal had even left early that morning with promises of finding a job.

She was about to start making her way back towards the apartment they had been staying in when a wave of sickness came over her. This had been happening a lot lately but she hadn't mentioned anything to Neal not really liking the idea of going to the hospital. Emma was about to start walking when an elderly woman caught her attention sat near the table she had vacated.

"Are you okay dear?" She smiled kindly at her a look of concern in her eyes. Emma stared at her not sure whether to answer the woman, had they met before? "It's okay there's no need to be scared I can help, I see great things in your future so many surprises but worthwhile in the end. The sacrifice they made will soon pay off and you will be reunited once again." The elderly lady stood from her chair and walked towards a still shocked Emma.

"The child will help you to find who you are." She then watched as the woman walked off like nothing had happened. Emma was debating whether to go after the woman and demand what the hell she meant but decided against it. The woman was clearly confused and had the wrong person. But there was something that stuck in her mind "The child will help you to find who you are" What child? She didn't know any children or was it some kind of riddle. Emma felt her head start to spin at all these questions swirling around in her brain. Was this woman trying to tell her that quite possibly she could be pregnant?

Well she had been suffering from sickness and feeling quite tired. Maybe she could buy a test just to put her mind at rest and prove that all this was nonsense. It would be a couple of hours before Neal returned so he didn't have to know a thing unless… She shook her head and dropped in at the nearest drug store. After purchasing two different tests and a funny look from the man behind the counter she went back to the apartment. Emma quickly let herself in and dropped the keys on the side table walking towards the living room, the bag feeling heavy in her hand.

She flopped down on the couch and dropped the bag onto her lap, avoiding even looking at it. This could be life changing if somehow this woman was right in what she was saying. Emma though letting her head fall back. Maybe she should just get this over with and stop thinking things through so much and eventually talk herself out of it. Emma jumped up and went to the bathroom taking the test out of the bag and reading over the instructions. It wasn't long before she was setting the little stick down and pacing back and forth nervous. As the minutes ticked by Emma found herself becoming more and more nervous and more questions filled her head. She jumped when the front door slammed shut and footsteps could be heard coming down the hall.

"Emma?" Neal called stopping at the bathroom door the handle slowly turned. "Babe are you okay?"

Emma tried to answer him but couldn't find her voice.

He opened the door and a smile appeared when he caught sight of her standing in the middle of the room. "What you doing?"

Emma felt her eyes drifting down to the stick sitting on the side of the bath. In that very moment something life changing was confirmed and all she could do was stare.

"Your pregnant? Come on babe talk to me." Neal rushed across the room when her eyes started to fill up with tears. He gently wrapped his arms around her and spoke soothing words in her ear. "Hey it's going to be okay I promise."

Emma remained silent unsure of how she really felt about this. Were they ready for the commitment and all the things that came with a baby? She hadn't even a job to buy supplies for the child let alone for themselves. This was a really big wake up call a life changing one at that. Emma squeezed her eyes shut trying her hardest not to thinking about it all.

"Please say something." Neal spoke fearing of what she might say or do. He knew she was still in shock but they needed to talk this through.

"I….." Emma trailed off pulling away from him. "Are we even ready for this?"

Neal smiled and lifted his hand gently brushing away the tears. "No, because no one is truly ready for what's in store." He chuckled earning a glare from Emma. "Listen I know right now we haven't got a lot and were still quite immature but I know we can do this. This is a new chapter in our lives. all the rest is behind us we are stronger then ever. I love you so much".

She smiled widely feeling her heart swell at his words. "I love you too."

Neal then gently leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. A few seconds passed and Emma pulled away resting her forehead on his.

"We're having a baby, can you believe it?"

He chuckled and pecked her lips."Dinners on me tonight anything you want".

Emma frowned slightly."We have to save whatever money we get now, we can't just go spending it on anything".

Neal smiled taking her hands with his. "Look who got all mature about this".

The frown quickly changed to a smirk. "Oh so I'm mature not after you just called me immature?"

He rubbed his fingers along the back of her hands. "Tomorrow I'm going to look for a proper job so you can buy whatever you want for the baby."

Emma nodded oh how the day had quickly taken a turn. But the question which still burned in her mind was who was that elderly lady and how did she know so much about their future? Would she ever see the woman again to even ask these questions? Emma felt herself swaying slightly as a dizzy spell came over her.

At some point she would have to tell Neal about her run in with this lady, but for now she was living in the moment. She was certain that all their troubles wouldn't be solved straight away but at least they were aiming in the right direction. So Emma let Neal lead her out of the bathroom and towards the lounge where they sat and talked things through a bit more and forming some kind of plan.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! You guys are amazing!**

**Present day:**

Once Emma was dressed, they went to the kitchen to try to think up something for dinner and ended up having ravioli, the kind that came in a can. "You have to start eating healthier for the baby." Neal mused as he was emptying the last two cans they had of it into a pot on the stove.

"So you have said." Emma sighed, sitting down at the table. "For the past three months."

"I know, I'm sorry." He mused, getting a spoon and stirred the food, coming to sit with her as they waited it to warm up. "Maybe Mrs Stevenson will call tomorrow and then afterwards you can go to the farmers market and pick up some fruit."

"And pay the eletric bill?" She challenged.

"And pay the electric bill." He confirmed, and dug out his wallett out of his back pocket and handed her a ten dollar bill he was going to use for lunches this week. "Here, get something good."

"No." She threw the bill back at him. "This is for your lunch and if you dont eat lunch, you lose energy, and if you lose energy..."

"I end up crashing the cab in a fiery explosion?"

"Exactly!"

Neal sighed. "Stop being dramatic babe, I'm not going to crash anything and the baby needs the food more then me."

Emma sighed, getting up to check the ravioli, which was heated all the way through. She grabbed a pot holder and just put the pot on the table between them, grabbing to forks. "See if you can get a free sandwich ticket from somewhere then."

Neal grinned in victory. "I will." He nodded, picking up his fork and stabbing into the pot and popping a cheese filled noodle into his mouth.

"Legally." She reminded softly.

"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you the last thing I am going to do is something that will earn me a free ticket to having to leave you and little bump?"

Emma bit her lip and looked down into the food.

He sighed and grabbed her fork to stab her a noddle. "Alright, you have to eat." He insisted and prodded her until she popped it into her mouth. He watched her chew and swallow carefully, and then stab another out of her own accord.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, Neal was able to get a free sandwich from a Deli shop owner he knew pretty well, and Mrs Stevenson called for Emma, and even though morning sickness washed over her like a sudden hurricane, she went three floors up and earned her fifty bucks. After she was done scrubbing the floor, she stopped back by the apartment, putting twenty five of it in the envlope on the fridge for cash and grabbed her purse, and did what Neal asked, buying enough fruit and vegetables to last her a week. He seemed pleased when he got home, exhausted again, and it was only Wednesday, and they spent the rest of the night cuddling by candlelight.<p>

On Thursday, Emma did not get a phone call in the morning, so after she ate an apple and began to feel better, she took a quick shower, got dressed, and headed over to the library to use a computer. She had begged Neal to use the Volkswagen to commute to and from the taxi cab place he drove for the past three days, so this morning, when he went to use it, he quickly realized the gas tank was empty, so he had to walk the long commute. The library was closer, so she really shouldn't be complaining, and anyways, she was planning on staying there most of the day anyways, and meeting Neal somewhere on the way home. She spent the good part of the day on the computer, looking up her class and then on some random urge, trying to find her parents again. She went to every search page she could think of, typing in any key words that pertained, but ended up getting what she normally got, nothing.

Not that she expected to find anything, she tried to tell herself as she walked out of the library in the pouring down rain. She never did when she attempting theses searches. She used to dream of her parents being rich and important, even now more so so maybe she would have a place to stay with reliable electricity and hot showers...and maybe even an umbrella. She sighed and walked to an intersection where she knew she was going to run into Neal, stood underneath a awning of a storefront and waited, watching the people pass. Nobody stopped to notice the poor drenched young pregnant girl for at least a half an hour before Neal came up. He was mad, and probably rightfully so, but he seemed to enjoy the company on the rest of the way home, giving her his soaked jacket which didn't really help anything, but as they say, it was the thought that counts.

By the time the entered the apartment, they were soaked to the bone and shivering, but laughing as they both stripped down in the bathroom and took a hot shower (together saved water...as Neal always said) sucessfully using all of it and went to bed to get up early for the ultrasound appointment the next day.

* * *

><p>Neal got paid on Fridays, so when they got up his paycheck was in the bank, and the first thing they used it for was to fill up the gas tank of the Bug. Neal splurged and filled it up all the way this time, promising that they will only use it for baby appointments and when the weather was really bad. Emma pursed her lips and tried not to look at the gas pump going up, already feeling sick because of the fumes. Neal seemed to realize this, and paid quickly, pulling away and quickly navigating the streets to Emma's doctors.<p>

They went in, checked in at the front desk and was only waiting for a few minutes until a nurse called Emma back to weigh her and check her blood pressure. Emma calmly did what the nurse asked her too, while Neal watched, but in reality she was insanely nervous. She knew she was underweight for what a normal three month pregnant women should be and her blood pressure was probably up due to money issues. The look on Neal's face when the nurse took the readings told her that he knew theses things were true as well, but neither of them said a word while they waited for the doctor.

Dr Carr, the obsectriction came in with a clipboard and a bright smile, like he always had. "Miss Swan, how are you today?"

Emma thought for a few seconds. "Tired and irritable." She answered honestly, which made the doctor laugh. She smiled back. She liked him well enough, he explained everything thoroughly and never made her uncomfortable on purpose, like she was afraid he would be when he found out she was a unwed teenage mother. That could be because Neal had been at everysingle one of her appointments even though he had to take of work for most of them.

"Completely normal." The doctor spoke and he didn't even have to tell Emma to lay down and lift her top so he could feel her stomach with his cold hands.

He seemed satisfied with the feeling because after a few moments,, he stopped, and turned around to get a tube of the ultrasound goo. "This will be cold." He warned, but Emma already knew that. It didnt stop her from fliching and grabbing for Neals hand like she did every time. The doctor smiled and grabbed the wand while the machine booted up. When it did, he glided the wand over her skin, and just like that, the baby appeared.

Neal called it magic.

Emma turned her head, watching the blob move on screen and silently agreed with him. It was magic. Magic that they could see it, and magic that this tiny life force was even growing inside of her. She felt a silly grin slide over her face and she barely heard the doctor ask if they decided if they wanted to know the gender or not. She remembered Neal's words from the beginning of the week and shook her head before he could respond. "I think we would rather it be a surprise." She smiled. The doctor nodded, told her the baby looked good, and wiped the goo off her stomach. As she sat up, the doctor looked grave too just let them go. "Something wrong?" she asked, tugging her top down.

"Have you ever heard of Wic?" Doctor Carr began to open a drawer in his desk, taking out a big pamphlet of paper. "Or Medicaid, or...well, theres a lot. I dont want to scare you two, but I want you to go home and read over the information and then calls me in a couple days, alright? Say Monday?"

Emma smiled and nodded, but handed the pamphlet to Neal. She couldn't tell how she felt about the papers that had big black bold letters on the top of it that said 'financial aid' but she didn't think they were very good.

Neal took it, understanding, got up and thanked the doctor, and pulling Emma out the door into the waiting room, to get her coat, and then out to the car.

A man was standing just outside the office though, and as they passed, he stood up straighter and called out to them. "Hey!"

Neal looked before Emma and immediately reconized the man, and promptly acted like he didn't hear, focusing on getting Emma into the car, knowing this wasn't going to end well if the man decided to tempt him further.

"Neal! Damnit! I know you here me." August started trailing after them quickly.

"Who's that?" Emma looked behind her, knocking her glasses slightly askew, peering at August.

"Nobody." Neal growled, almost to the car. "Get in."

"No, Neal, its somebody. Tell me. He seems pissed, did he help you with the watches?"

August gave a chuckle. "Watches, lets go with that."

"Get in." Neal gently shoved her towards the car.

"You don't get to tell her what to do." August responded for Emma, reaching out and touching her arm, only trying to steady her from the shove.

"Dont you dare touch her!" Neal lost it.

August looked stricken for a moment, but then he scowled. "I was just trying to keep your girlfriend from falling after you shoved her, you may want to call her keeping her safe."

For all Emma knew, the guy sounded like he was talking chinesse. Kepping her safe? What did that mean? Neal barely shoved her towards the car and he would never do anything to hurt her.

Neal scowled. "Do not touch her." He repeated.

August raised an eyebrow. "Oh, now why would I listen to you if some people cant return the favor?" He scowled and almost ripped the papers from Neal's hands. "Financial aid? Money problems, huh?" He smirked, and then read more. "A baby? She's pregnant?"

Neals eyes flashed. "Emma, please, get in the car." He pleaded and watched her take a step towards it, but still not getting in. "Can I have my papers back please, August? As you can see I got my family under control and you are no longer needed."

August gave a strange sort of laugh. "Looks like it." He held the papers out.

Neal snatched them and as Emma watched, August leaned forward to whispered something in his ear that she couldn't hear.

Neals face contorted, and then before Emma could do anything, he wound his arm back and punched August right in the eye.

Emma gave a little scream as August retailiated with his own punch, only getting Neal riled up even more.

Emma, being too scared to do anything, watched in horror as they kept making the other one more angrier and going after one another. At one point she did try to pull neal off of the other man, but Neal screamed at her to get out of the way. "The baby!"

"You idiot!" She screamed back at him. "Go ahead, go see what punching an innocent man gets you." and with that, she turned on her heel and walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Flashback**

The lights on the side of the building shone down bright as Neal moved quickly along the alley clutching the bag of watches in his hand. He still felt quite agitated from the encounter with August that he just had. Of course he wasn't going to walk away from Emma as easy as that. Whatever challenges they faced they would face them together. He certainly wasn't a coward like his father that was for certain.

Neal huffed and stopped at the corner of the warehouse checking to see if anyone was around. He had to admit he was finding it hard to come to terms with who Emma really was. Could what August have said be true did she come from the Enchanted Forest like him? Neal leaned back against the wall and stared ahead all this was crazy. He knew that once the watches were fenced things would have to change. They couldn't keep stealing because eventually the law would catch up to them. But hopefully with this money they'd be able to make a fresh start and he could prove to Emma that he wasn't just a dead beat no body.

Just then someone appeared in dark clothes and a bag in their hands. Neal put his hands in his pockets wondering if this was the person to trade too. The person stopped and gave him a hard stare.

"Are you here for the watches?" Neal looked at him unsure and slightly taken back by his appearance. The man nodded and held out his free hand ready to take the watches. Neal hesitantly shoved the bag into his hands and waited for the money. The man unzipped the bag and looked inside just making sure it wasn't some big con. Seeming quite satisfied with what was inside he nodded and handed over the other bag.

Neal grinned and watched the man walk away before he turned and jogged the other way. He was eager to get back to Emma plus the fact he wasn't sure whether to trust August or not. He was debating if he should tell her about who she really was and what she was to do. It wasn't fair her not knowing but he knew it would be too much if Emma were to found out now. Maybe in a couple of years he would tell her the truth but right now it was just far to soon. Neal came to a stop when he spotted Emma up ahead with her phone to her ear. He decided to play a little trick on her, so he crept forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Stop!" Neal felt her tense but not move or say a word. He smiled and pulled her into his arms kissing her wet cheek. "Babe it's me."

Emma sighed in relief and turned in his arms a smile forming on her face."I though it was really them". She whispered looking into his eyes.

"Do you think I would just leave you here and let them find you?" Neal frowned slightly, pulling away, he knew he shouldn't of scared her like that.

"No it's just I heard footsteps and panicked."

He smiled and leaned down kissing her wet cheek and whispered."I love you."

Emma smiled against his lips but suddenly the moment was cut short by gunfire.

"Shit" Neal quickly pulled away and grabbed her hand wondering if they could get away. "We need to run". He whispered seeing fear in her eyes that they were going to be caught. Emma nodded because she was too afraid to speak right now. Neal waited a few minutes before beginning to run straight ahead half pulling her along. They ran down a long stretch of road until they came to the end that gave them two choices left or right. Neal steered them left and pulled Emma along wanting to go faster. A fence stood in their way but that didn't stop him running at it and beginning to climb stopping at the top to help Emma.

"Someone followed you?" She asked breathlessly as she swung her leg over the other side and dropped to the floor. Neal took her hand once again at the bottom as they began to run.

"Not that I know of." Then it hit him who could of made the call to the cops. August. Neal almost let out a growl there was just no giving up with him. "Babe we have to keep moving."

Emma was already lagging behind and puffing out of breath,"I can't go any further."

Neal looked around, they still had a few more minutes until the cops caught up with them so he threw the bag down on the ground hoping he wouldn't regret this. He took Emma's hand and ran towards the edge of the pier, jumping and landing in a boat. They both ducked down behind some creates as footsteps ran passed.

"We did it." Emma whispered afraid to move from her position. Neal waited a few minutes then slowly got up to see if the cop had gone or if he was still hanging around. "So are we just going to wait around here until morning?" She stood also and moved a wooden create out of the way to make more room for them.

"I don't think there's any way around it." Neal slung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her down to the deck so they were sitting.

"So it's the waiting game huh?" Emma placed her head down on his chest and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I'm sorry you didn't get your dream of moving to Tallahassee." Neal gently rubbed her back as a form of comfort.

"Maybe one day, I'm just glad we both escaped jail."

Neal just nodded, he didn't really want to think about if they had gotten caught because he didn't see life without Emma by his side.

"What are we going to do now the cops are probably going to be still searching for us?" She asked.

Neal knew that she was over thinking this like she always did but there was a point. "We'll figure something out we always do." He slide down to a lying position and closed his eyes still keeping her close.

* * *

><p>A few days had passed since the watches had been fenced and all Emma could do was pace the apartment. She had been on edge ever since they had left the docks the following morning. Surely the cops hadn't given up that easily and it was a matter of time before their door would be kicked in. Emma had all these situations running through her mind it was driving her crazy especially when Neal insisting on going out because he had business. She made her way until the small kitchen and took out a mug feeling like the sleepless nights were catching up on her. Just then she heard the door slam shut this made her jump and drop the mug. It fell to the floor and shattered into pieces causing her to curse out loud.<p>

"Babe?" Neal rushed into the room as Emma crouched down and went to pick up the pieces.

"It's fine I just got a shock when I heard the door"

He sighed shaking his head and reaching out his hand for her to take. She stared at it for a moment then shook her head carrying on clearing up the pieces."Then I guess you don't want to know what I just did."

Emma let out a long sigh and pushed her glasses back onto her nose. They had been arguing a lot lately and at times it didn't feel like what they were used to be. Neal dug his hand into his pocket and brought out a piece of paper.

"We are clear". Now this caught Emma's attention she looked up at the piece of A4 paper.

"What did you do?" She stood taking the paper from him.

"I have this friend who owe me a favor so I went to him. Don't ask how he actually did it but it's done."

Emma grinned widely and leaped forward throwing her arms around him."We actually got away with this?

Neal laughed and caught her."Yes we did babe."

They stood like that for a long while until Emma pulled away still grinning."So now we can finally start living our happy ending?"

Neal tried not to cringe at her words if only she knew the truth."Nice use of words, babe".

She rolled her eyes and went back to clearing up the mess on the floor.

"But yeah we're going to be all right even without the money." Neal crouched down beside her and took the sharp pieces from her. "So now we're clear you can start leaving the apartment again you know". He grabbed some tissue paper to lie the pieces in then stood helping Emma up also.

"We need to find jobs to pay for the rent on this place".

Neal nodded and dropped the tissue into the trashcan."Don't worry everything's going to be okay I promise."

Emma nodded she still had her doubts in her mind but right now she knew wasn't the time to voice them. She really didn't know what she would do without Neal they had been through so much together not all good but they had each other. That was more then she could say a couple of years ago when she felt so alone in the children homes. But that part of her life was behind her now and there was no looking back only moving forward.

**A/N: We both would like to thank everyone for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Emma didn't know how long she waited for Neal to come home before she fell asleep. He knew he wouldn't have just went into work like he was suppose to do, that he would have to come and check on her. He made fun of her for being paranoid with all the creeps around, but she honestly thought he was more paranoid then her, and would not trust that she made it home safety. Lo and behold, at some point, she was woken up by the keys in the apartment door and it creaking open. "Babe?" His voice was quiet, he knew he was in trouble.

She sat up from the laying position that she was in and straightened her glasses, staring at him evenly as he dropped his keys and walked over to her. "Babe, its freezing in here, what are you doing?" He frowned and threw an old afghan over her. "You're going to get sick."

"Well, you're going to get your ass thrown in jail, so you can't care from there, can you?" She threw the blanket off in spite and got up to walk in the kitchen.

"What? Emma..." He sighed. "Nobody said anything about jail."

"So I'm crazy now? I'm just a crazy...poor person?! I'm a crazy poor person with no parents and her boyfriend just punched some crazy dude in the face for no reason and might have got his ass thrown in jail. Oh, but I forgot, I didn't see that so now I'm just a crazy poor, knocked up teenager with a boyfriend that can't be any more of a dumb ass if her tried!" She threw her hands up.

Neal had to try hard to keep form chuckling, sometimes he couldn't help it, she looked so cute when she was pissed. The parent comment stung like it always did though. How many more years now? Ten? "So I'm a dumbass now, am I?" He asked calmly.

"Yes!" she huffed, "For punching that guy in the face! And we right in front of the baby doctor office too! Anyone could have saw and your ass could have been sitting on a cold cot eating a bologna sandwich right now! And the worse part is, you had no damn reason to punch him, he touched my arm. Wopp-de-fricken-doo!"

"Okay." he sighed, and cringed, "I shouldn't have done it, but look, no cops and no jail and definitely no bologna."

"That's beyond the point!" She threw he hands up, this time with a coffee cup in her hand. A coffee cup that he had no doubts would be flying towards his head in two seconds if he didn't start saying something right.

"I wont do it again, babe." He sighed. "it was out of line and I know that, I just..." He sighed, looking at her. "I did have a reason, and you should know it...but I just don't want you to freak out, alright?"

"Too late!" She seethed.

"Well, freaking out is bad for bump, you know that." He took his chances and tried to make psychical contact with her, to try to get her to sit down, but she just pushed him away. He sighed, and stepped back away, pulling out a chair. "Remember the night we got rid of the watches and someone must have called the cops? Well, he was the person."

That made her stop. "What the hell?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah." He said quietly, hoping he wasn't going to regret this. "But its alright, he can not turn us in for it now, remember?"

"So why did you punch him then?" She snapped.

"He was ready to turn us in!" Neal was the one who threw his hands up. "I was angry!"

She huffed, putting the mug down and walking a few steps towards him. "I'm mad at a lot of people, put I haven't punched anybody in my life! I'm mad at you, but you don't see me even trying to punch you. Anger is no excuse Neal! Did you even think of what would happen to me if you would have got arrested? I would have been out a apartment and a father of my baby! Think about where I would have ended up next time you get angry!" With that she stormed out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

><p>Emma didn't say a word to him until he got home from work the next day. Since he missed the previous day or work, he went in two hours early and got home three hours late, only working and extra five hours, but thinking any little bit helped. By the time he got back through the apartment door that night, he was exhausted, him not taking the car and the long walk home just added to that. All he wanted was a shower, Emma, and bed. He slid his boots off and stood there for a couple seconds before realizing that there was no lights on in the living room or kitchen, or even down the hall. "Emma? Babe?"<p>

Last time this happened, he found her in the bathroom, but as he peered in and flipped the light on, it was empty. He sighed, and went to check the bedroom and found the bed empty. Swallowing down panic, he went back out to the living room and laced his boots back up, planning to go check upstairs, where she would normally be.

He re locked the door and went to go climb the stairs, knocking on the first door he came to when he reached the seventh floor. It took a couple times, but eventually the old woman answered, wearing a pink bathrobe and looking quite cranky. "What?" She snapped at him.

"Hey, Miss Stevenson, is Emma in there cleaning?"

"Mrs." She corrected. "Mrs! My husband is still alive as far as I know!"

He had to try hard to keep from rolling his eyes. "Okay, Mrs. Stevenson, is Emma working tonight?"

"I haven't seen that girl in two days!" She screeched. "I tried calling her this morning but her phone just went to voicemail!"

Neal frowned. "Did it? I'm so sorry about that Mrs Stevenson, she probably had it off." Under her judgy gaze, he pulled out his own phone, cringed at the pay as you go voice that told him that he only had ten minutes left, and dialed Emma's number. As the old women said, it went directly to voice mail. Neal cussed at it and hung up. "She probably ran out of minutes, I'm sorry Mrs. Stevenson."

The woman scowled at him. "Don't apologize to me, apologize to that baby in her stomach. That little ones going to have a hard life by the looks of it."

Neal sighed. "Thanks Mrs Stevenson." He muttered, walking away. So she already though he was a crappy father, why should he expect anything different? Emma already though he was a crappy father too. Seriously, why would he expect anything different considering the type of father he had. He might as well not even bother to look for Emma. He should have listened to August the night when he went to sell the watches. Emma would be without him, but at least she would have a safe place to have the baby and food. As he passed their floor on the stairwell, he paused for a long while, debating on just going home and sleeping.

Finally, going out to look won out instead of sleep and he sighed, pulling his hood up and heading out in the rain hoping to god that she was somewhere out of the elements.

He took the car this time, driving to the library first, assuming she went and checked her e mail again and got distracted. He spent twenty minutes looking around and did not see her, it close to closing time anyways. A tired looking mom with two teenagers smiled sadly at him, like she knew he was looking for a lost person, and he smiled back, going back out into the rain, and starting up the engine to go drive to her second favorite place to be at while he was at work.

Central Park.

He hoped to god that she wasn't there. Words can not describe how mad he would be if he did find her there. It was passed dark, it was freezing and it was pouring down rain, nobody should be outside, let alone a pregnant woman. But he had this sinking feeling, plus he knew Emma, so he took the bug down the winding roads, thankful for all the streetlight illuminating the park. He was also thankful that he wasn't even driving for ten minutes before he spotted a soaked little blonde just sitting on a park bench as if she didn't feel the rain at all.

He stopped the car at the side of the street, and run up at her. She didn't look up even know it had to be obvious that he was walking up. "Emma! Jesus! What the hell are you doing?"

She jumped and looked up at him. Did she have tears in her eyes? He couldn't tell because of the rain. She did not have a coat on though, only a long sleeve shirt, and she was visibly shaking.

"Okay, Babe, lets go." He held out a hand. "Or do I have to pick you up and carry you because I swear to god-" He cut off when she got up and started walking to the car, ignoring his hand.

He followed, and started up the engine again, blasting the heat, and grabbing the emergency blanket that he had put in the back just a couple days before over her. "What the hell were you thinking babe?" He asked as he maneuvered the car out of the park.

He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't get one. It was stone silence as he drove back to the apartment, parked the car and got out. Well, if you didn't count the teeth chattering that is.

He followed her up the steps, surprised she kept the blanket around her shoulders. When they got to their door, she dug her keys out of her soaked messenger bag and put them up to the lock, fumbling with them, her hands shaking that bad. "Emma...give them to me." He held a hand out to help her, and when he got ignored, he tried again. "Babe...come on."

"I got it!" She yelled and as she did, the key slid into the lock, making the door swing open.

He followed her in and watched as she went to sit on the couch, soaking the cushion she chose to sit on. She was still crying, and she refused to look at him as he took of his shoes for hopefully the last time and walked over to her. "Babe, lets go take a hot shower, you need to warm up and get out of those clothes, its a miracle if you don't get sick, What the hell were you thinking, babe?"

"I was just so mad at you." She sniffled.

"Yeah?" He asked, tugging her arm and pulling her up.

As she got to her feet, the blanket fell to the floor, and as she tried to step over it, she tripped and stumbled before he caught her. "That's quite enough." He frowned, and picked her up bridal style, successfully soaking himself.

She let him do it, letting her legs swing uselessly, her soaked converse starting to make her feet itch. He could do this if it made him happy. She was to tired to care anyways, and closed her eyes until they got to the bathroom.

He sat her down gently on the toilet and tugged at her shoelaces, surprised that she wasn't fighting. After her shoes, it was her socks and then he started working on separating soaked denim from skin, expecting a slap, but none came. After he finished with his work, he flipped the shower on the hot, gently tugged the ponytail holder out of her hair and urged her into the tub.

She backed up into the hot stream, letting the water scaled her soaked and freezing skin. "I'll be right back." she heard Neal mutter, and thought he was probably going to go through her soaked things into the wash. She sighed softly and tipped her hair back, wetting her hair and then going to grab the shampoo bottle, which she found empty.

Neal was the last one to take a shower this morning before work, and he was the one who had the habit of leaving empty bottles just lay there. She was just about to yell for him to bring her some more, when she remembered that they didn't have any. She frowned, throwing the empty bottle out the curtain, and sank down the the porcelain floor underneath the stream and let a fresh wave of tears overcome her.

"Babe?" Just a few moments later, Neal opened the curtain. His chest was bare, so it was obvious that he planned to join her, but when he saw her, he stopped dead, looking concerned.

"YOU USED THE REST OF THE SHAMPOO YOU IDIOT!" she screamed, making herself cry even more.

He just stood there and watched her, unsure of what to do, until she finally swalledsome water and started choking on it. "Emma! Please babe..." He then stepped into the tub and slid down to the floor, taking her in his arms.

"I'm suppose to be mad at you!" She sobbed into his chest.

"I know." He nodded, grabbing a wash cloth and the bar of soap. "And I'm kind of mad at you, but if we keep at this any longer, your going to kill yourself."

* * *

><p>Neal slowly and carefully scrubbed Emma and himself clean, turning off the water and standing them up. By that time, Emma's sobs had turned to silent tears and she started shivering against his chest. "Okay, baby, I got you." He wrapped a towel around her and himself and padded barefoot to the bedroom, setting her down on the bed. She immediately went and curled p by her pillow, managing to look cute and pathetic all at the same time and causing him to smile just a little bit. He went and grabbed one of if t shirts from his drawer and tossed t on the bed, getting partly dressed himself. "Cover up, babe." He commanded with an exhausted yawn. "And climb under the covers."<p>

She sighed and climbed under the covers, without even bothering with the shirt and fell asleep within a couple minutes.

He smiled softly, turning off the light and joining her, falling asleep with his head near her incase she tried to sneak off again.

She didn't, but around three in the morning they both got woken up by her coughing up a lung.

"See? This, this is why I was mad at you." Neal groaned and sat up, rubbing her back.

"You do not get sick from the cold, everyone knows that." She got out between coughs.

He choose to ignore that comment and got up to see if they had any couch medicine. It was highly doubtful, he knew, but he got up and checked anyways, and as if it was magic, found a bottle back behind some things in the closet.

When he brought it back to her though, she pushed it away. "We don know if that's safe for the baby."

"You being sick is not good for the baby!"

"Its just a cough." She moaned, coughing a few more times.

"Yeah...just." He grumbled. "Tomorrow we are going to the doctors."

"We can't afford it!" She complained irritably. "Besides the point, it. Is. Just. A. Cough. I'll probably be better by tomorrow."

He didn't think so, but let her curl back up into his arms and try to go back to sleep without any more argument. Not like they got very much sleep with her coughing like she was. She at least finally fell asleep around dawn for a couple hours in which he spent the whole time fighting sleep, staying up and rubbing her back in a feeble attempt to relieve the cough. He huffed, trying to bite back his anger at her. This was good practice for the baby, he kept trying to tell himself. Practice makes perfect, and maybe this was his chance to redeem himself.

Eventually she woke up, as was expected, by a bad coughing fit, making Neal cringe and get up, and go upstairs to ask a cranky Mrs Stevenson to use her phone. He was given it, after another short reprimanding about supporting his family. He sighed and rolled his eyes, dialing the phone, praying the doctor would answer, and praying that he said the answer he wanted. His prayers went unanswered though, when he got voice mail. He winced, and left a message, naming the name on the bottle and giving Mrs Stevenson's number. "I'll be up to check if he called back in an hour." He promised, and quickly ran back down to Emma.

He found her curled up on the bed, much like she was when he left her, only this time as he sat down besides her, he realized she felt extremely hot. "Emma...babe?" He put his back of his hand up to her forehead and cursed softly, trying to remember back to his childhood and what Milah would do for his fevers. He was pretty sure he had some pretty bad ones, and that Emma had one now, especially because she was shivering against him.

"God..." she whimpered, and let him do what he may, coughs ripping apart her lungs.

"I need a damn thermometer." He cursed after a few more minutes, deciding to abandon trying to remember the old way of doing things. "Why dont we have anything in this house?" He looked at her, torn. Did he dare leave her again to bug the Mrs Stevenson again? He didn't have any choice, he realized after a few moments, so thats exactly what he did.

"Good lord, if the childs that sick, bring her up here." Mrs Stevenson told him disapprovingly, and made it quite obvious that she wasn't going to let him take the thermometer that easily. "That way you can answer when the doctor calls back to, because I'm not doing three flights of stairs just for that."


	6. Chapter 6

Neal after a long debate with himself agreed that it would be best for Emma to come up. He jogged back down the flight of stairs and into their apartment reaching her in a matter of seconds. She didn't look any better in fact a little worse which made him swallow back the tears as he kneeled down on the bed. Neal gently wrapped the blanket around Emma and gently pulled her into his arms being careful not to hurt her, she looked so pale and lifeless. he just hoped that it didn't come down to taking her to the hospital because that was when things always became complicated and he didn't want to loose Emma or their baby. Neal felt very reluctant to even phone the Doctor but he knew it was the right thing to do. He let out a long sigh and ran the back of his hand over her sweaty forehead it was as he feared the fever was becoming worse. Neal quickly and carefully grabbed another blanket from the closet and wrapped it around her for extra warmth. Emma mumbled a few words in her sleep at the movement causing him to lean down and place a gentle kiss on her forehead to sooth her.

Neal watched her for a second then wandered out towards the main door grabbing his keys making sure to lock the door. He then proceeded to walk up the stairs carefully feeling like if for just a minute everything would catch up on him. How could he have been such a fool and reacted in that way towards August, especially when Emma was there and had no clue who he was. Neal knew he had messed up big time it was just everything that August had caused really made him angry. He swore then and there he would make it up to Emma no matter the cost. As they reached Mrs Stevenson's floor Neal took a few deep breaths trying to stop himself from collapsing from being over tired.

"How is she?" The elderly lady asked with a concerned look on her face as she pulled the door open.

"Not very good, I think it's getting worse." Neal rushed inside and waited in the hallway for Mrs Stevenson to point him in the right direction. She let the door shut behind her then led him into the small spare bedroom. "Are you sure about this I mean I don't want to intrude or anything." The older woman shook her head pulling back the covers for him to place Emma on the bed. Neal slowly placed her down in the middle of the bed with all the blankets still wrapped around her for extra warmth then pulled the cover up around her shoulders.

"I will go and make some soup it always helps." Mrs Stevenson smiled and walked out of the room wanting to give them some time alone. He nodded and carefully sat on the edge of the bed sweeping her hair from her face gently.

"This is all my fault I should of just told you what happened to save all this crap. Maybe I should have even just listened to August and left you to find your way back to them. You wouldn't be here now, maybe you would be some place else happy."Neal put his head in his hands and began to sob and talk to himself all the emotions from the last couple of days that had been building up was surfacing. For once he just wanted something to go right for them to be happy and not keep living with all these problems that keep popping up.

Plus there was the whole August issue how was he suppose to deal with him just now? Just then the phone began to ring Neal jumped up and ran from the room hoping it was the doctor getting back to them. The elderly lady was already picking up the phone and placing it to her ear saying a quick hello. She then listened and said a few words then replaced the handset."The doctor is on his way he got a little bit held up."

Neal sighed in relief and gave a small smile feeling slightly more hopeful. "Go and sit with her I will let the doctor in when he arrives." Mrs Stevenson gave a kind smile and turned back towards the kitchen. He smiled not really sure how he could thank the elderly lady enough for all she was doing for them. She didn't have to offer them her home or let him use her phone because he used all his minutes up like an idiot. She had really shocked him because half the time the elderly lady acted like she couldn't stand him.

Or maybe she just saw right through him and how much of a dead beat no body he was. Neal walked back into the small bedroom and went to sit on the edge of the bed gently taking her hand. He must have drifted off because the next thing he knew his shoulders were being shook. Neal's eye's shot open and he sat up straight trying to remember where he was and what was going on. A man stood near the door he looked to be around mid forties, with a plump face and piercing eyes."Hello Mr Cassidy."

"Hi." Neal stood and moved out of the way to let the doctor take a closer look. He set his bag down next to the bed and took out a stethoscope placing it around his neck ready. The doctor then gently placed a hand on Emma's shoulder and gave her a little shake. She mumbled a few words and sleepily opened her eyes shivering slightly.

"Hello Miss Swan, could I listen to your breathing?"

She gave a weak smile and tried to sit up slightly to make it easier for him. The d took the stethoscope and gently placed it on her chest lifting the buds to his ears ready to listen. Neal stood to the side and watched as he carried on examining her and then checking if everything was okay with the baby. When the Doctor took a step back and began packing up his case, Neal stepped closer worried. "Well it looks like pneumonia but I think there should be a second opinion. I suggest she should go to hospital." He picked up his bag ready to go. "I will call for a ambulance straight away."

Neal shook his head in disbelief feeling himself start to panic, no she couldn't go to hospital."But we don't have enough money to pay for the care we are barely getting by as it is."

The other man shook his head having no room or time for sympathy."If your girlfriend does not go to the hospital or get the correct care needed you will most certainly loose your baby or both." He spoke very sternly like there was no room to argue.

Neal shook his head still refusing to come to terms with the situation his world was falling apart and it was only going to become worse. Mrs Stevenson seeing his distress and having heard all of the conversation rushed into the room and placed a hand on his arm."It is the right thing to do. They are at risk if you don't take her to the hospital." Neal sighed not really sure what was going to happen and he hadn't noticed the doctor take out his phone and ring for the ambulance.

"If you need any money I am happy to help." She said softly.

He shook his head the last thing he wanted was hand-outs because somebody felt sorry for them. This was his family he would find a way to get around it he wasn't some sorry case."Thank you but it's fine I can manage."

The elderly lady brow creased into worry, she didn't want to argue at a time like this so she left the subject. The Doctor made his way to the door stopping having just hung up his phone.

"The ambulance won't be long, I will meet you at the hospital." The doctor turned and left the room without another word. Neal quickly hurried over to Emma who was slowly drifting off to sleep again. He gently took her hand and kissed the top of her head.

"We are going to get through this." He whispered wrapping his free arm around her shoulders wanting to be as close as he could to her. Maybe later it would dawn on him what was really going to and how serious the situation was; maybe he would break down and loose it. But right now all he wanted was to spend just a little time with her to let Emma know she wasn't alone. It didn't even feel like five minutes later and the paramedics were rushing into the apartment with a stretcher ready to take her away. Neal clutched her hand as they slid her over to the stretcher and strapped her in.

"I love you". He whispered letting her hand fall as the two men left the room quickly as Mrs Stevenson held the door open for them.

"Go with them." She urged when she saw Neal stood in the middle of the room looking unsure of what to do. He gave her a scared look then nodded quickly jogging passed her and down the steps just managing to catch the paramedics before they drove off. Neal took a seat beside her and grabbed her hand clutching it tightly. Silence filled the air until they reached the hospital and he of course had to step out of the way and let the paramedics do their job. Emma was quickly rushed out of the van and into the hospital vanishing into a room.

Neal tried to follow but was stopped by one of the nurses who told him to take a seat in the waiting room. He growled in frustration and went to the empty room pacing up and down. As the hours ticked by he watched as more and more nurses rushed in and out of the room but still no one came to let him know what was happening. Neal found himself thinking that the news must be bad if it's taking this long or something must of happened, he was driving himself crazy with worry and over thinking things. That was until a nurse came out of the door with a clipboard in her hands.

"Mr Cassidy?" She spoke softly her eyes drifting up from the piece of paper she had in front of her. Neal stopped pacing afraid to speak from fear of breaking down.


	7. Chapter 7

"You can go in and see her now." The nurse smiled kindly at him. "But..." She hesitated, looking at his state. "Freaking out is not going to help her."

"I know." He whispered. "I won't."

The nurse kindly nodded and started down the hall, leading him to the room and letting him go inside alone. He was afraid to look, and made it atleast halfway across the floor before looking up at the bed.

She was sleeping, her blonde hair knotted around her head and her glasses set on the table next to her. She looked so small in compared to the machines that were beeping all around her and the Iv's in her arms. He frowned when he saw them, Emma hated needles and wasn't going to be to happy when she woke up.

"Hey Babe." He whispered, reaching out with a shaking finger to stroke her cheek. It felt cold and clammy so he quickly brought his hand away and sat down in the blue hard-backed chair that was sitting near by.

"N-Neal?" He didn't know how long he sat there watching her sleep but eventually she started coughing and woke herself up.

"Yeah. I'm here, Emma." He immediately sat up and offered his hand.

She went to grab it weakly, and as she moved her arm, felt the IV's pulling. "What?" She whispered, outraged. "Whats happening? Neal!" She looked around wildly. "I cant be here!"

"Shhh Shhh!" He hissed as the heart monitor went crazy and tears started falling down her pale face. "Babe, listen to me. Yes you do. We could lose the baby if you don't get better."

"Baby?" She frantically tried to reach down to her stomach, almost ripping the IV out.

Immediately Neal realized that that was the wrong thing to say. "Shhhhhh hes fine, Emma. At least for now."

"Mr. Cassidy is right, Miss Swan, the baby is fine for now." As Neal looked up, he saw a middle aged man in a lab coat checking the machines. He seemed to be checking the machines with a concerned look on his face, but as he turned his attention back on his patient, he masked it well. "But you do have pneumonia, and can be fatal for both mother and child, and panicking will only make those chances worse. We caught yours early enough that we can give you the treatment and the chances of long term consequences will go dramatically down."

"Hear that, Emma?" Neal grabbed her hand. "It's all going to be alright if you just calm down."

Emma had tears in her eyes that were running down her cheeks, but she nodded shakily, watching the doctor fiddle with a few things before he gave them a parting smile and went on to check the next patient.

"Neal, I can not be here. You know how expensive hospitals are!" She exclaimed between coughs.

"Yeah, I do know, and I got it covered." He sighed, lying softly.

"How?!" She exclaimed. "With the non existent money from the watches? Or maybe that guy that you almost knocked out at the doctors office is your rich uncle!"

"That guy definitely was not related to me at all, trust me on that, and im not doing anything illegal, I just got it figured out, alright? If you don't know by now I will do anything possible for you and our baby, and contrary to what you might believe, I know enough to not get my ass thrown in jail right now, so just don't worry about it. All you need to worry about is calming down and getting some sleep." He squeezed her hand lightly.

She nodded, sniffled and coughed a few times, wiping her eyes, tugging at the IV's again. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have stayed out in the rain."

Neal frowned. "Honestly. Babe, the virus was probably already inside of you so I am the one who should be sorry for not being able to give you the food and environment you deserve." He bit his lip, Mrs. Stevenson s words coming back to haunt him.

"I didn't get sick because I ate an banana for breakfast." She whispered. "And blame game."

He made a noise that was suppose to be a chuckle but didn't quite make it. She always said that they could play the blame game for hours, so when he started with it, she would always just say those words, and that was his que to shut up. He did most times, but that was only because if he didn't, he would have to live with an hormonal fit that put all pregnant women to shame. "Shut your eyes and sleep." He whispered, stroking her cheek. "The sooner you get rest, the sooner you get better. The sooner you get better, the sooner you get sent home, and I think I owe you a nice hot bubble bath and a full day to spend with me."

"Mmm." She responded, a little smile forming on her lips. "That sounds nice."

He returned her smile, glad she didn't complain that he just offered to spend the day home from work without pay. "We'll do anything you want, babe, just sleep, I can tell your exhausted."

"You're exhausted too." She mumbled.

"But I'm not the one pregnant or sick." There was no point of denying it, it would just cause more argument.

She giggled softly. At least he thought that's what she attempted to do. "So help me if you ever do get pregnant."

"Ha. Ha. You're hilarious.

* * *

><p>She was only eighteen. She had a long life ahead of her, she didn't deserve to die. Plus what about all the people from their world that were destined to die with her, maybe not on the same day, but the minute she died, all hope for them would be lost and they would be as good as dead. What about his child. Didn't he or she get a say? If this was fates twisted way of not saving the fairytale town the child had nothing to do with that, so why should it get punished. Emma didn't even ask for anything to do with it. There had to be a better way for fate to handle this. It could at least take him. He had been through...well, more then his fair share . Emma would be devastated, he knew she would be, but he also knew how strong she was and that she would eventually move on with the child and have a chance at the life she was suppose to get.<p>

He groaned and rolled over, punching is pillow and holding onto hers more tightly. The nurse that was attending Emma had found him fighting sleep clutching her hand way past visiting hours. He could tell by her kind smile, that she was going to let him stay the night, but when she asked him to move so that she cold switch out her IV's without waking her, and she realized he couldn't even walk straight when he got up, he got sent home. "You will be no help to her like this, and trust me people don't sleep good on the cots we supply, so why don't you go home tonight, get some sleep and get some stuff together and come back first thing tomorrow morning?" She offered.

Well, it wasn't an offer, an offer he could have refused, this was more of a command, because there was no way he was going to get anywhere if he would have refused. He agreed, he would be no help to Emma if she was exhausted, but he also wanted to stay with her. What if she woke up and started freaking out again? It would only get worse once she realized that he wasn't there. He sighed and made sure the specific nurse had his cell phone number in case there was an emergency. It wasn't until he got home (It was a wonder that he made it home without totaling the car) that he remembered that he was out of minutes and wouldn't get anymore more then the next week, when he got paid. He scowled and kicked the wall, dropping into bed. There was nothing he could do about it and the hospital wasn't full of idiots, they would call Mrs. Stevenson, the contact number he gave them in the first place. The old women would be cranky as hell, but she would make her way downstairs to wake him up, she proved that earlier this afternoon.

At that thought, he moved onto the couch, dragging both his and hers pillows with him and getting the old comforter of the back. He was closer to the door this way, if he stayed in their bedroom, in the back of the apartment, the chances was less he would hear the pounding on the door if he should so happen to fall asleep.

Two o clock, three o clock, four o clock, he watched each passing hour on the digital clock on the kitchen microwave and each time he glanced at it with half opened, blurry eyes, he cursed basically everyone he knew. August, that nurse, even his father, it didn't matter, he just needed someone to blame, under the strange assumption that it would make him feel better. It didn't, because no matter how much Emma said "Blame game," he would still think that it was his fault.

* * *

><p>"I'm here to see a Miss Swan?" August walked up to the front desk, and watched the red headed nurse frown as she typed something into the computer that she was sitting in front of. "A Miss Swan?" She asked with suspicion, hitting a key and peering up at him. "Are you related?"<p>

"I'm her brother." August swiftly lied, trying to look convincing. He kind of was. Guardian was kind of like a brother, but the nurse would not understand if he said guardian. She appraised him for a good minute until she nodded.

"Room 302, up the elevator, first door on the right."

He nodded his thanks and walked forward hitting the call button for the elevator, and impatiently bouncing on his feet, waiting for it. He glanced back at the nurse one time before it came, just praying that she wouldn't call up to Emma's room to warn her that her brother was coming to visit. She seemed to be immersed in a new file though, and at that point the elevator opened, allowing him inside, so he figured the chances were slim. He pressed the button for the third floor, but got stuck on the second floor when a group of doctors in white lab coats came in all huddled over the same clipboard. The brunette women reached over and pressed the button for the fifth floor, giving him a small smile as she did, but other then that, they paid him no mind, even when the elevator stopped for him.

He got off and quickly located the room, noticing that the hallway was virtually empty, even for as early as for what it was. She was still sleeping, her blonde hair spread out on the pillow like a halo. She looked as if she had a rough night, and the pale blue hospital blanket that a nurse probably threw over her was bunched up around her legs, revealing her pale pink hospital gown, and her bare arms. He peered at her stomach, biting his lip. Baelfire's baby that was growing inside of her had to be a couple months along by now, but yet he couldn't really tell the difference. Maybe it was because the gown was obviously to huge fy or her or the fact that he hadn't been around a single pregnant woman in his life to know the difference, unless they were about to pop. He frowned and wandered around to the other side of her, steadying the machine that was tracking her heartbeat when the She moaned.

"Neal?" Her voice sounded tired.

He jumped and debating on not saying anything but knew that it was only a matter of time until her eyes focused. "No. It's very early and he was exhausted so he sent me to check on you."

At his voice, her eyes widen as she looked like she was going to try to sit up, but quickly realized it was a bad idea. "You're the guy..."

"From yesterday? I know." He nodded.

"Yeah, you're the guy he punched in the face!" She coughed a good few times, but still managed to glare at him.

"I guess you did see that." He murmured.

"Yeah I did! Neal almost landed his ass in jail!" She glared at him harder if that was even possible. "Look, I am really not sure what is or was going on between you two but I'm pretty sure that the stunt I saw in the parking lot yesterday wasn't between two buddies, especially not ones close enough that they would send each other to check on there fatally sick wife in the hospital."

"Wife?" August narrowed his eyes.

"Girlfriend." She quickly corrected. "Pregnant Girlfriend, and we are going to get married someday so what does it matter?"

"Labels do matter." He responded, slightly relieved that he did not miss Bealfire actually marrying her because that would make his life all the more difficult.

"Says the creepy guy that broke into my hospital room."

"I did not break in. the door was open and the nurse told me to come right up and I am only checking on your well being."

"Well I am fine thank you." She sniffed. "Now you can go."

"Except I'm afraid I can't." He sighed. "Neal told me to stay until he can get here."

"Like hell he did!"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Even as sick as what she was she still had bite to her. She definitely was the saviour. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but he's not here is he?"

At that she turned her head to the bedside table. When he looked, he knew exactly what she was going for. "We don't have to wake him up." He took her phone in his own hands. "He is going to be a daddy soon, he needs his sleep."

"You give that back!" Her eyes widened again, scared. "Or I'm calling a nurse!"

He chuckled, playing with the phone. "And what will you say exactly? That you're throwing you're own brother out?"

She glared. "Now you are definitely not my brother, lair."

"Ah, but we are definitely in a hospital and there is definitely no way I will be able to hurt you." He pointed out shrugging. "And we may not be siblings by blood, but I'm practically am your brother if you look at it a certain way."

Emma sighed. "You escaped from the mental ward."

He sighed and replaced her phone on the table out of reach. "Ever heard the story of Pinocchio?"

"So it's story time now?"

He shrugged. "Everybody loves a good story and who knows? Your baby might like it."

"My baby already knows that one." She shot back.

August almost chuckled. "Well fine then, how about Snow White?"

"And the seven dwarfs?"

He chuckled. "So you do know it."

"Something about a dam apple!" She snapped. "I don't know. I was a bit to busy running away from foster homes to care all that much about fairy tales."

He frowned but quickly hid it. "Well that's to bad, I personally love fairy tales, especially that one, it has the most love and betrayal in it."

She rolled her eyes. "Betrayal? Snow white could not control how beautiful she was , the queen was a stuck up bitch."

"Some says that's not what the queen cared about most, some say Snow White was responsible for the Queens true love dying."

"That's bull crap. She was vain and did not have a true love."

He smirked. "In my version she did. And she cursed all the land just to exact revenge on Snow White."

"Wow." Emma rolled her eyes. "She must have really loved him."

"Maybe." August allowed. "Maybe not, we're not her."

Emma nodded. "You aren't." She agreed. "I guess nobody except the author knows."

"Or her herself." August shrugged.

"She's not real, she is just a character in a book."

August stared at her for a few seconds, considering his options. "Well aren't you just a little skeptical." He decided on.

She coughed and yawned. "I'm a sick pregnant woman who is laying here talking to a guy who all my senses scream is a creepy rapist about fairytale's, I think being skeptical is the least of my problems." She frowned, rubbing her stomach.

"Creepy rapist?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" She narrowed her eyes. "I should be calling the police right now. In fact I don't know why I'm not! You are obviously no good and you lied to the nurses. We are not related in any way and screw you for taking advantage of a pregnant women! I just want Neal." She had tears in her eyes by the end of her rant and was reaching for her phone again.

"Emma, no." He grabbed her cell again.

She gave a strangled cry of frustration. "I'm not going to lay here and listen to you telling me kids stories! Pretty soon Neal is going to come or the nurse is going to come check on me and you will be screwed!" As she said it, she reached over and pressed the round red button connected to her bed to call a nurse, refusing to look at him, and trying to wipe her tears away.

**A/N: Thank you for all who follow or review this story! We appreciate it and are glad you're enjoying!**


	8. Chapter 8

Neal stared at the clock for a few more minutes then decided it was time to get up. It was no use trying to sleep now there was too much running through his mind. Plus he was eager to get back to Emma she was alone and in hospital. Neal had this strange feeling like something wasn't right he tried to shrug it off but it didn't seem to work. He glanced down at the clock not wanting to leave too early because that would worry Emma so he decided to take a quick shower. That would at least put some time and maybe make him feel a little fresh and no like death.

He wandered through to the bathroom and switched on the shower ready before going and collecting some clean clothes. When he walked back through there was no sound of running water Neal cursed and brought his fist up hitting the tiled wall. For a moment all the pain and anger that was building up in his chest was numb until it came crashing down and he fell to his knees sobbing. Why was all this happening to them was it because he hadn't been completely honest with Emma from the start?

Or maybe because he hadn't worked up the courage to tell her about everything August had told him. They were basically living a big fat lie who was he kidding when Emma did find out she would be furious with him. She would probably leave him, and that was if she got over this whole illness. Neal put his head in his hands and let out a frustrated groan wanting to hit that wall again to feel something other then what was building up inside of him.

This was not how it was suppose to be he wasn't meant to fall in love with someone who was from the enchanted forest let alone Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter. Neal still had that strange feeling that something wasn't right he stood and switched the shower off dumping his clean clothes on the bed as he walked passed. As he walked into the hallway a pile of letters on the mat caught his attention.

Neal crouched down and scooped them up shuffling through he wasn't sure why he bothered because they were all bills. He came to a stop at the letter which read water bill and sighed how was he suppose to bring Emma home to this. How was he suppose to support them his wage wasn't even that good even if he did do over time. And with Emma unable to work due to her illness that was putting even more strain on them before long they were going to be homeless. Neal wasn't even sure he could look her in the eye and tell her everything was going to be okay because in all reality it was far from being okay. He had a choice to make go back to the hospital and support Emma or walk out of this door and go in the opposite way not looking back.

Neal reached for the door and pulled it open stepping out into the dark hall he quickly locked the door and made his way down the stairs. All the time the same question was running through his mind left or right? When he reached the door leading out into the street Neal stopped and weighted up his options Emma would be heart broken if he left her but she would also find a way back to her family. Did he really have the guts to leave his only true family?

Neal raked his hand through his hair no he couldn't live without her he knew that and whatever anybody threw at them they were going to get through it. So he turned in the direction of the hospital and walked quickly eager to see Emma. Neal entered the hospital and made his way to her room feeling ever so slightly on edge. What he saw next had him fighting back anger August was there in Emma's room. She looked panicked as the nurse argued with the man trying to get him to leave.

"What the hell?!" Neal shouted his eyes moving from Emma to August who was still trying to put up a fight. He didn't know whether to grab August and throw him out or go to Emma. The first option would probably get him banned from the hospital so he moved to her side.

Emma launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face in his chest sobbing loudly.

"Babe it's okay." Neal rubbed her back to try and calm her down as finally August left but not without saying some final words.

"You need to tell her the truth it's for her own good." The door shut behind him leaving the only sound in the room was gentle sobs.

This was his fault he should have refused to leave her side maybe then August wouldn't of come.

Neal rested his chin on her head gently quite content with holding her for the moment. He placed a kiss on her forehead keeping his arms protectively around her almost scared to let go. Emma not long after gave in to sleep feeling like she couldn't stay awake any longer but she still had questions that needed answering. Her eyes slowly closed and her breathing became steady as he arms fell limp around him.

Neal slipped from sitting behind her and gently lay her down on the bed pulling a blanket over her now sleeping form. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips letting her know he was still here. Neal dragged a chair to the side of the bed and took a seat reaching out and taking her hand, running his fingers over the back. How could he have even though about leaving her? They needed each other and somehow they were going to get through this hard time.

He found himself being woken up a few hours later by a nurse who was checking the IV. She gave him a warm smile and pressed a few buttons on the machine then left. Neal rubbed at his eyes unsure of how long he had slept for but he did know he had had a hell of a better sleep near Emma. When they were apart it just didn't feel the same like something was going to happen. Neal leaned forward and brushed the stray piece of hair away from her face.

"I love you Emma Swan." He whispered brushing his hand along her soft cheek. Emma muttered a few words in her sleep and shifted slightly but didn't waken. Neal smiled and took his hand away decided to go and get a drink since he hadn't in awhile, plus they didn't have any food in the apartment. He walked across the room and stopped at the door glancing back at her before pulling the door open and stepping out into the busy hall. It didn't take long to find a vending machine that had coffee. Neal dipped his hand in his pocket and brought out some lose change but it wasn't enough. He kicked the machine and leaned his back against the wall he had to think about doing a few extra shifts to pay for everything.

"Hey, I don't want a fight. I'm not here to cause trouble." A voice sounded. Neal turned to see August holding up his hands and edging forward.

"Go to hell." He wasn't in the mood to deal with his smug face tonight.

"She had to know the truth don't you get that." August pushed earning a glare in return.

"Have you ever though that maybe she doesn't want to save this town, maybe she wants a normal life away from all that fairy tale shit." Neal wasn't sure what caused him to say all that but he was quite pleased he had.

"Or maybe you're just scared that you will have to face your father again after all these years." August spat.

He shook his head refusing to believe a single word he had his reasons ones that he didn't want to share.

"Emma has a chance to reconnect with her family you can't deny her that."

Neal rubbed his hand down his face feeling like the walls were closing in on him. He didn't want to make this decision right now not when Emma was so ill he had to focus on getting her better then worry about that later."I'll tell her but not right now." August nodded still not moving from his place. "But you have to agree to stop this creepy stalker act your freaking Emma out and it's not good for her or the baby." He dug his hands into his jean pockets as he pushed off the wall.

"Okay I'll lay off you both but just don't go back on your promise and don't leave it to long." August turned as he walked passed him back down the corridor. Neal was thankful when he didn't follow him right now he just wanted some time alone with Emma or maybe some peace to think all this crap through. When was the right time to tell her about where she was really from without freaking her out?

He could hardly go 'Hey Emma you were born in fairy tale land and transported to this world but it's okay because your family's here waiting for you to break some curse a evil queen put on the town. Oh, and by the way you're the savior.' Emma would probably ship him off to a mental hospital. Neal slipped into her room and resumed his seat beside the bed she was awake now and staring at the ceiling.

"Hey." Emma turned her head and gave him a slight smile her hands gently placed on her stomach.

"So what did he say to you?" Neal walked up to the bed slowly. He didn't want to push her especially if she was scared to talk about it.

"Fairy tales." She muttered. "So are you going to tell me the real reason he is following us?"

"Babe I will tell you but you've gotta trust me when I say not right now. All you need to focus on is getting better."

Emma bit her lip her eyes moving away from his she was becoming nervous he could tell. So Neal quickly stood and went to sit on the side of the bed bringing her into his arms carefully.

"Is he a old friend of yours?" She whispered looking up at him trying to gage his reaction.

"Not exactly, more of a old friend of yours."

She shifted out of his arms a confused look on her face.

"A old family friend I guess you could say." Neal knew he was digging himself a very big hole here by telling her all this because she was going to push for answers.

"I don't have any family the only one I do have is in this room." Emma stared at him silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I know but it's complicated babe, I'll explain it later." Neal leaned forward and kissed away her tears.

"But you can't drop something like that then expect me to forget about it."

He pulled her into his arms to shoved away she was panicking he had to calm her quickly.

"GET OFF ME!" Emma growled as the nurse conveniently rushed in and put a needle in her arm causing her to go limp.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Neal demanded, standing, causing the nurse to step back slightly scared.

"It isn't good for her condition to be having panic attacks I'm sorry." She answered.

He slumped down in the chair and once again took her hand with a groan.


	9. Chapter 9

Neal didn't know how long he waited for Emma to slowly wake up, but eventually she did, eyes fluttering as she moan softly. "Neal?" She asked weakly and he barely had time to respond before she was calling his name more sharply. "Neal, the bin!"

He blinked and quickly passed her the little pale pink container and turned away slightly as she violently threw up in it, pushing it to the side. Almost immediately, a pretty brunette nurse came and took the bin off the table, smiling shyly and pushing a waste basket over with her toe in case anything else came up while she was gone. "The sedative will do that, babies and it tend not to get along."

"But it was safe for the baby, right?" Neal gave her a accusing look.

"Of course." It didn't seem to bother the nurse as she walked towards the door. "You really shouldn't worry, your wife and child are safe with us."

Neal sighed as she left the room.

"Yeah Neal, you really shouldn't worry." Emma frowned and reached for the glass of water on the table.

"You telling me that is funny." He grabbed the glass and helped her sit up a little bit so that she could drink. When she was done she handed it back to him and he set it down, stroking her cheek gently and rubbing her bump.

"I know, but baby is fine now." She managed a smile at him. "It just doesn't like the taste of medicine like any child."

Neal chuckled and continue to make contact with her stomach. "Yeah well, they should bring you something to eat soon, that is...if you can eat." He finished with a frown. Since the nurse sent him home last time he realized he had no idea how she was doing other then just "fine."

She nodded and smiled slightly. "I ate a bit of jello and some fruit while you were gone just now. My chest feels better and I have a little appetite, but you know...hospital food." She made a face.

He laughed, finding it adorable. "You still look pale." He brushed her hair out of her face. "And I'm sorry babe, I can't do much about that. Other then having whatever you want when you come home, have any ideas?"

Emma stared up at him. Anything she wanted? She bit her lip, a lot coming to mind. She had to learn to ignore her cravings as much as she could, so she barely wanted to speak up now, especially since she knew Neal had missed several possible shifts of work already. "Whatever we have is fine." She shook her head. "As long as it's cooked at home, I wont be picky."

His face fell, knowing what she was thinking, but deciding that he would drop it and get it out of her later. He was just thankful that she didn't immediately start pressing the August issue again. If all goes well, he wouldn't have to deal with that issue again until they were at home and she was safe in his arms. "We'll find something." He bent down to kiss her cheek.

As he did, a throat cleared and he quickly straightened himself to see a doctor in a white lab coat standing there with the clean pink container. "Good afternoon, Miss Swan, you might need this." He set the bin down with a smirk. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, tired." Emma took Neal's hand and held it lightly. It felt cold and he rubbed the back of it with his fingers to warm it.

"Well you're pregnant, which makes you tired and the Pneumonia makes you tired, so its sort of a double edged sword." He laughed. "Other than that?"

"Not terrific." She shrugged. "But fine, much better then when I came in."

"That's the purpose." He smiled, taking his stethoscope from around his neck and pressing it up against the thin material of her gown to listen. "Deep breaths?" He asked and she complied, at some points making faces as her coughing was getting worse. After he was done with her chest, he moved the bed up some and had her sit up so he could listen to her from the backside. "Alright." he took the tool out of his ears and put it back around his chest. "It looks as if you are making progress, but don't get too excited yet. I know you husband here was worried about financial burdens and we do understand that, but the fact of the matter is your pregnant and the average stay for you no matter how severe the case is or how soon we got it treated is more then a week."

Neal cursed silently and bit his lip as Emma just nodded. "Boyfriend. He's just my boyfriend, not husband yet." She told the doctor as if it was the most important thing of the moment.

"Ah." He nodded. "So Mr...?"

"Cassidy." Neal supplied, refusing to look at Emma for the moment. Why did she feel the need to point that out?"Neal."

"Mr Cassidy? Doctor Spragins." He reached out a hand with a gold wedding ring on it.

Neal took it and shook it briefly.

"You will be the first one to know when Emma here is free to go." Dr. Spragins assured.

Neal nodded. "I appreciate it."

The doctor shot one of his smiles again and stepped back slightly, looking at his records. "Now your regular doctor sent over your prenatal records and you said you did not want to find out the sex of the baby?"

Emma shook her head. "I think it will be a nice surprise, as long as its healthy we don't care, do we Neal?"

It was the first time he looked at her since the comment and he nodded mutly, trying to find something in her eyes that would give him a hint.

"It's just nice to confirm before we start doing ultra sounds that we we can cover up the parts if you don't want to know." The doctor explained.

* * *

><p>Neal was eventually forced to leave Emma's bedside to go complete some shifts. He was worried as hell about August going back on his word, but he figured the moment Emma saw him she would start freaking out again, and the nurses would kick him out. Plus, Neal had scrapped up just enough money to put minutes on both of their cell phones, telling Emma she was to call him immediately if something was wrong.<p>

So for the next five days the ritual was to pull eight to ten hour shifts, heavily relying on coffee, and nights were spent with Emma holding her hand and mainly talking about the baby. When he eventually pulled himself away from her (the hospital was fairly flexible with visiting hours) he unlocked their apartment door and fell onto the sofa to try to sleep before it all started again the next morning. The sleep was rare, and it came and went, all basically depending on Emma's mood and how bad she was coughing that day. On the very bad nights he would stay up and clean the apartment spotless, telling himself that when she came home and saw it, it would make him feel better. By day four he had run out of things to do though so he was forced to just lay there and toss around how exactly he was going to tell Emma the truth about her. The only problem was that no matter how much he worded it differently in his mind, it always came out the same way so it barely made a difference.

Maybe he didn't have to tell her. Maybe after she got out of the hospital, he could keep August at bay easier. At this point he was fairly confident that Emma had forgot what he had said about family friends or at least she hadn't brought it up again. Then again, he thought they were both avoiding certain subjects in order not to get the other upset. She hadn't brought up why it was so important for her to clarify that he was her boyfriend and not husband, but then again, he hadn't asked in case it induced another panic attack. Honestly maybe he was afraid of her answer, although the logical part of him realized it might have just of been innocent.

He felt like shit though, even more so then he had been feeling. Not only can he not provide for her, the world was going to take it as he hadn't married her yet so that it was easier to escape when the child was born. Of course that wasn't the case and the truth was he thought Emma desearved a better wedding then what he could provide her with now, so he thought it better to wait, but nobody else was going to listen to that. Now he was the bad guy once again.

After a week of feeling like the scum of the earth though, He walked into the hospital after a particularity long shift to some good news.

"Doctor says I can go." Emma grinned at him. He was sitting up in bed, eating a jello cup.

Neal raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Really." Doctor Spragins came up behind him. "Emma is free to leave all you need to do is stop downstairs on the way out and sign the discharge papers." He handed him a paper, which as he glanced a it was a list of signs and symptoms to watch out for.

He grinned as he stifled a yawn. "Thanks doctor."

The doctor nodded. "It's what we're here for and don't take this personally but I hope I don't see you two again."

Neal chuckled. "You and me both." He watched as the doctor walked from the room and then turned to Emma. "I can finally sleep in the same bed as you."

"I know right?" She threw the empty cup away and set the spoon down on the table. "I brushed my hair for the first time in a week."

He laughed. "Is the first thing we're doing when we get back is take a shower?"

She nodded and watched him go pick up her bag that he brought just yesterday with her clothes in it.

"Actually maybe the first thing we should do is go up and thank Mrs. Stevenson." He thought out loud, giving her her outfit. "I ran into her a couple days ago before work and...she'll be really mad if you get out without telling her." He cringed, remembering his run in with her.

"Alright." He agreed. "Get the door?" She nodded at it and slipped out of the hospital gown as he stood guard, pausing for a moment to caress her bump. "Our babies strong, daddy."

"Yes it is mommy." He grinned and watched as the bump got covered with cloth. "Are you ready?"

Emma nodded. "I think so, you have the car right?"

"Do you think that I would really let my pregnant girlfriend walk home from the hospital?" He paused a bit at girlfriend and sighed.

"Well, I wasn't sure about gas." She frowned.

"Its fine, babe, I got it all under control." he held a hand out for her which she took and coughed briefly in her sleeve.

"Bye horrible room." she whispered which made him chuckle.

"Actually babe, I have something to talk to you about." He paused in the doorway and turned to face her.

"Yeah?" Her eyes were confused.

He chuckled and reached out to brush one side of her hair from her face. "Actually it's a question." He bit his lip awkwardly. "I know I could do this much better and some people have elaborate plans and romantic music and chocolate, but the most important thing I could ever offer you is myself. You know I love you, Emma, and there will never be anyone else, so will you make me feel like the luckiest man alive and marry me?"

Her eyes immediately filled with tears as she nodded.

He immediately kissed her softly for a moment. "Now you can call me your fiance, oh and we can tell our kids that I literally proposed to you in the worse place ever." He laughed.

"It's not the worse place ever." She laughed softly with him. "If you were going for that you should have done it in a garbage dump."

He laughed and bent down and kissed her bump, grinning. "Here that baby? Mommy and Daddy are getting married."


End file.
